Welch receives forecasting award for third consecutive year

Dr. Mark Welch has been awarded the Premier Forecaster Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association-Extension.
Welch also won the association’s Crop Forecasting Award in 2009 and 2011.

Blair Fannin, Texas AgriLife | Oct 04, 2012

Dr. Mark Welch, a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service grains marketing economist in College Station, has been awarded the Premier Forecaster Award from the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association-Extension section for general economics forecasts made in the July 2011 outlook survey.

It marked the third year in a row Welch received the honor.

Welch’s forecasts, part of the association’s annual Extension Outlook Survey, includes price forecasts for livestock, crops, land values, energy and other market components affecting production agriculture.

Welch also won the association’s Crop Forecasting Award in 2009 and 2011.

“Mark’s ability to accurately forecast agricultural commodities and prices truly reflects the expertise he offers to producers and agribusinesses across Texas,” said Dr. Parr Rosson, head of the department of agricultural economics at Texas A&M University.

“He takes great interest in offering thorough, detailed analyses whether it’s his market newsletters or presentations to producers and commodity groups across the state,” said Dr. Mark Waller, AgriLife Extension program leader for economics in College Station. “Mark has now won five of these awards dating back to 2009, which shows how much in tune he is with the ever-changing commodity prices and global economic conditions impacting agriculture across the U.S.”

Welch joined AgriLife Extension in 2007. Prior to his Extension appointment, Welch was a research scientist with the Cotton Economics Research Institute at Texas Tech University’s department of agricultural and applied economics. He also was a corn, wheat and cattle producer in Castro County.

Welch earned a doctorate from Texas Tech University, a master’s degree from West Texas A&M University and a bachelor’s degree from Graceland College in Lomoni, Iowa.